Equipment module for refrigeration cabinets



Oct. l2, 1965 w. J. sToRlE 3,211,505

EQUIPMENT MODULE FOR REFRIGERATION CABINETS Filed March 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W/ L/AM J STGR/E ATTORNEYS ocr. 12, 1965 w. J. STQRIE 3,211,505

EQUIPMENT MODULE FOR REFRIGERATION CABINETS Filed March 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Shane?l 2 3/ BY ja/Q WWP/VE YS /z ff United States Patent Office 3,211,505 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 3,211,505 EQUIPMENT MODULE FOR REFRIGERATION CABINETS William J. Storie, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Studebaker Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 265,822 3 Claims. (Cl. 312-214) This invention relates generally to refrigeration cabinet constructions, and more particularly, it relates to the improvement of a removable module which is adapted to carry the refrigeration and control apparatus of such a cabinet. The term refrigeration cabinet, as used herein, is intended to cover cooling as well as freezer cabinets.

As is conventional in the construction of refrigeration cabinets, various control apparatus is normally provided, the same perhaps including for example, a timer control element for the defrost cycle of the refrigeration equipment, a terminal board for the Various wiring leads of the cabinet, a ballast transformer for the cabinet fluorescent lights, power switches and fuse elements. After refrigeration cabinets of the type generally referred t herein have been in use, it is sometimes necessary to locate and get at more of the various control elements for servicing purposes. Heretofore, locating the desired control elements has been somewhat of a problem because of their relative uneasy accessibility. In view of the above comments, an important object of the present invention is the provision of an equipment module for the control and other apparatus of a refrigerator cabinet which is so designed, constructed and arranged so as to overcome the previously noted objections.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a removable equipment module for refrigeration cabinets which is constructed and arranged so as to provide better accessibility and availability of the various control apparatus for -servicing purposes.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an equipment module for refrigeration cabinets which is designed so as to provide a standard component for manufacturing.

A further object of the Ipresent invention resides in the provision of a removable equipment module for refrigeration cabinets which simplifies the assembly of the refrigeration -cabinets during manufacture.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of an equipment module for refrigeration cabinets which is constructed so as to provide protection for the various control and other components located within the module.

The above an-d still further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts or elements throughout the Several Views:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation showing a refrigeration cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention, some portions thereof being broken away;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 lof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1 thereof, the refrigeration cabinet shown therein is comprised of an outer casing structure which defines opposed cabinet end walls 1, 2, a cabinet front wall 3, top wall 4 and cabinet bottom wall 5. The refrigeration cabinet defines an equipment chamber 6 located adjacent the bottom of the cabinet and `defined intermediate the cabinet bottom wall 5 and an intermediate horizontal cabinet partition Wall, a portion of which is shown at 7 in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The equipment chamber 6 is further defined by an intermediate vertical partition wall 8, the cabinet end wall 2, and a cross partition Wall 9. The equipment chamber 6 of the refrigeration cabinet disclosed herein is adapted to house and contain the refrigeration and control apparatus of the cabinet, the refrigeration condenser coil thereof being shown at 10, and including a refrigeration compressor and motor, not shown. It will be understood that the refrigeration evaporator coils, not shown, are contained adjacent the cooled section of the cabinet. The front of the equipment chamber 6 is provided with a removable cover panel 11 which extends across the front of the cabinet and is secured thereto by easily removable fasteners, not shown. It will be appreciated that the cabinet casing structure and Walls which define the cooled cabinet section are comprised of outer -wall .panels 12 and inner wall panels 13 separated by a suitable insulation material 14.

As noted above, an important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a module for a portion of the apparatus of the lrefrigeration cabinet, and by way of example, said module will be described hereinafter with particular reference to the refrigeration control apparatus of the refrigeration cabinet. The module comprises a generally box-like module housing 15 which is secured within the cabinet equipment chamber 6 and positioned adjacent the cabinet end wall 2. The module housing 15 may be suitably formed from a metallic sheet material, and the same comprises a back wall 16 having a forwardly turned edge flange 17 which may be secured to the cabinet end wall 2 by any suitable means, such as by welding, not shown. The back Wall 16 of the module housing 15 is abutted against the outer wall panel 12 of the intermediate vertical partition wall 8, as shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3. The module housing 15 further comprises an inner side wall 18 and a bottom wall 19, lthe latter of which defines an upturned edge flange 20 for securement to the cabinet end wall 2. The inner side wall 18 of the module housing 15 also defines at its forward edge portion an inturned edge flange 21, as shown particularly in FIG. 2. The housing bottom wall 19 also defines an upturned edge flange, which is partially shown at 22 in FIG. 2, and a front narrow panel 23 is also provided, the same having an inturned edge ange 24 adapted for suitable securement to the -cabinet end wall 2, as shown particularly in FIG. 2. The housing 15 defines adjacent the top thereof a front cross panel 25 (shown in FIG. 1), which is secured to the housing side wall 18 and the vertical front panel 23, and which may be understood to include inturned edge flanges, not shown, respectively secured to the cabinet end wall 2 and the outer wall panel 12 of the intermediate horizontal cabinet wall 7.

The narrow vertical front panel 23 and the narrow horizontal front panel 25, along with the edge flanges 21 and 22, of the module housing 15 provide framing means for a doorway or opening into the housing 15, such doorway being sometimes referred to herein as a generally open housing end wall. With the above in mind, it Will be understood that the module housing 15 includes four generally enclosed side walls, one generally enclosed end wall (back wall 16) and one generally open end wall (at the front).

The module housing 15 is provided with a pair of generally vertically aligned and spaced generally parallel tracks, the upper of which is represented by the reference numeral 26 and the lower of which is represented by thev reference numeral 27. The tracks 26, 27 are generally U-shaped in cross section, as shown particularly in FIG. 4. The lower track 27 is secured, such as for example by tack Welding, to the upper surface of the housing bottom wall 19. The upper track 26 is disposed in vertically spaced relation to the top of the module housing 15 and is secured at its forward end portion to the narrow horizontal front panel 25 of the housing 15. The upper track 26 is also secured, such as for example by welding, to a cross strut 28, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The relatively narrow cross strut 28 may be suitably formed from sheet material, and the same comprises downturned end tlanges 29 for securement respectively to the housing side wall 18 and the cabinet end wall 2.

The equipment module provided in accordance with this invention further vcomprises an insert panel, sometimes referred to herein generally as an insert structure 30. The insert structure 30 is adapted to carry the control apparatus and other equipment to be housed within the module housing 15. The insert structure 30 generally comprises a normally vertically disposed insert panel 31 and a normally vertically disposed front or end panel 32. The front panel 32 is adapted to t the generally open end Wall or doorway of the module housing 15. The insert panel 31 comprises a generally ilat mounting plate 33 having perimetric outturned edge flanges which include an upper edge flange 34, a lower edge ange 35, a front edge flange 36 and a rear edge flange 37. The lower edge ange 35 is adapted to ride in the lower track 27 and the upper edge ange 34 is received in the upper track 26, as shown particularly in FIG. 4. The front edge flange 36 is secured, such as for example by welding, to the rear surface -of the front panel 32, as shown in FIG. 2. The rear edge ilange 37 is normally disposed in spaced relation to the housing back wall 16, as shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the upper and lower edge anges 34, 35 of the insert panel 31 act as rails which are adapted for engagement each one with a different one of the upper and lower tracks 26, 27 of the housing 15.

The front panel 32 of the insert structure 30 comprises a flat plate portion and a generally cross-sectionally U-shaped handle portion 38. It will be noted that the module housing is designed and arranged Within the equipment chamber 6 so that the front panel 32 of the insert structure 30 is disposed in inwardly spaced relation to the longitudinal cover panel 11, as shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, with the front flange of the handle portion 38 being closely adjacent the cover panel 11 when the same is in its normal position.

It will be noted that the above-described upper and lower tracks 26, 27, in cooperation with the upper and lower edge flanges or rails 34, 35 of the insert panel 31 provide means for mounting the insert structure within the module housing 15 for generally telescopic sliding movements between an inserted position within the module housing, as shown by full lines in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a removed position out lof the module housing 15, as represented by dotted lines in FIG. 3. The insert structure 30 is removably secured within the module housing 15 by means of suitable screws 39 which project through the front panel 32 of the insert structure 30 and are threadingly received within the upturned edge flange 22 of the housing 15.

Referring to the control elements mounted on the insert structure 30, a timing mechanism 40, having a mounting plate 41, is secured by suitable fasteners to the flat mounting plate 33 of the insert panel 31. A ballast transformer 42 and a step-down transformer 43 for the timing mechanism 40 are also secured to the mounting plate 33 of the insert panel 31. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a terminal and fuse board 44 for the wiring harness is also secured to the mounting plate 33 and disposed below the transformer 43. Power switches for the refrigeration cabinet are secured to the front panel 32 of the insert structure 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Suitable lead wires 46 are shown in the drawings, the same being provided for Wiring the various control elements enumerated above by way of example. It will be appreciated that the control elements referred to above are for illustrative purposes only and any type of desired control elements or other equipment may be disposed within the housing 15.

This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for ythe yaccomplishment of the above objects; and While tI have shown and described above a preferred embodiment thereof in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, I wish it to be specifically understood that the same may be modified without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a refrigeration cabinet having a casing structure and a chamber defined by said casing structure Aand adapted to house-the refrigeration andcontrol apparatus of said cabinet, the improvement of a module for'a portion of said apparatus of said refrigeration cabinet, Vsaid improvement comprising:

(a) a module housing secured `to said casing structure and disposed within said cabinet chamber,

( l) said module housinghaving four generally enclosed side walls and one generally enclosed end wall and also having one generally open end Wall,

(2) said modulehousing having alpair of generally aligned and spaced tracks one each disposedigenerally adjacent a different yone of an vopposed pair of said side walls,

(b) an insert structure adapted to carry said portion of the apparatus, said insert vstructure comprising:

(1) an insert panel,

(2) an end .panel secured to said insert panel and adapted to t the generally open-end wall of-said module housing,

(c) means mounting said insert structure with respect to the tracks of said module housing for :generally telescopic sliding movements between an inserted position within said module housing and a removed position out of said housing, said lmounting means comprising a pair of spaced rails yformed by outturned edge anges on the insert panel carried by said insert panel and adapted for engagement each one with a different one of the -tracksof-said lmodule housing.

2. In a refrigeration cabinet having a casing structure and a chamber dened by -said casing structure and adapted to house the refrigeration and control apparatus of said cabinet, the improvement of a module for a portion of said apparatus of said `refrigeration cabinet, said improvement comprising:

(a) a module housing secured to said casing'structure and disposed within said cabinet chamber,

(1) said module housing having -four lgenerally enclosed side walls and one generally-enclosed end wall and also having one generally open'end Wall,

(2) said module housing having a pair of generally aligned and spaced tracks one each disposed generally adjacent a diferent one of an opposed pair of said side walls,

(b) an insert structure adapted to carry said portion of the apparatus, said vinsert structure comprising:

(1) an insert panel,

(2) an end panel secured to said insert panel and adapted to fit the generally'open end wall'oi:` said module housing,

(c) means mounting said insert structure with respect to the tracks of said module housing for generally telescopic sliding vmovements between and inserted position within said module housing and a removed position out of said housing, said mounting means comprising a pair of spaced rails carried by said insert panel and adapted for engagement each one with a dilferent one of the tracks of said module housing, both of said rails projecting inwardly from a common side of said end panel one adjacent the top thereof and the other adjacent the bottom thereof.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said end panel denes, adjacent the side thereof having said rails, a forwardly projecting generally vertically extending flange FRANK B.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

forming a handle for removal and insertion of said insert lo CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

structure. 

1. IN A REFRIGERATION CABINET HAVING A CASING STRUCTURE AND A CHAMBER DEFINED BY SAID CASING STRUCTURE ND ADAPTED TO HOUSE THE REFRIGERATION AND CONTROL APPARATUS OF SAID CABINET, THE IMPROVEMENT OF A MODULE FOR A PORTION OF SAID APPARATUS OF SAID REFRIGERATION CABINET, SAID IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING; (A) A MODULE HOUSING SECURED TO SAID CASING STRUCTURE AND DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CABINET CHAMBER, (1) SAID MODULE HOUSING HAVING FOUR GENERALLY ENCLOSED SIDE WALLS AND ONE GENERALLY ENCLOSED END WALL AND ALSO HAVING ONE GENERALLY OPEN END WALL, (2) SAID MODULE HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF GENERALLY ALIGNED AND SPACED TRACKS ONE EACH DISPOSED GENERALLY ADJACENT A DIFFERENT ONE OF AN OPPOSED PAIR OF SAID SIDE WALLS, (B) AN INSERT STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO CARRY SAID PORTION OF THE APPARATUS, SAID INSERT STRUCTURE COMPRISING: (1) AN INSERT PANEL, (2) AN END PANEL SECURED TO SAID INSERT PANEL AND ADAPTED TO FIT THE GENERALLY OPEN END WALL OF SAID MODULE HOUSING, (C) MEANS MOUNTING SAID INSERT STRUCTURE WITH RESPECT TO THE TRACKS OF SAID MODULE HOUSING FOR GENERALLY TELESCOPIC SLIDING MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AN INSERTED POSITION WITHIN SAID MODULE HOUSING AND A REMOVED POSITION OUT OF SAID HOUSING, SAID MOUNTING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED RAILS FORMED BY OUTTURNED EDGE FLANGES ON THE INSERT PANEL CARRIED BY SAID INSERT PANEL AND ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT ECH ONE WITH A DIFFERENT ONE OF THE TRACKS OF SAID MODULE HOUSING. 